Meta-Analysis of Personality Assessments as Predictors of Military Aviation Training Success

Results from a meta-analysis of studies using personality constructs to predict military aviation training outcomes are reported. From the 26 studies that reported effects of personality as predictors of aviation training outcome, the constructs of neuroticism (K = 7), extroversion (K = 8), and anxiety (K = 4) appeared most frequently. Meta-analysis effects were derived using both random effects and artifact distribution model. Uncorrected effects from the random effects model produced the largest mean effect for neuroticism (r meta = −.15), followed by extroversion (r meta = .13), and anxiety (r meta = −.11). Corrections for predictor reliability and range restriction produced the greatest increase in the validity coefficient for neuroticism (rcorr = −.25), implying more psychometrically reliable and sensitive instruments could substantially improve the predictive validity of personality assessments in aviation selection contexts. The results confirmed the hypothesis that neuroticism and its facet anxiety would be negatively related to training success, and that extroversion would share a positive relationship with training success in military aviation.

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